


Zoro's fluctuating sense of direction

by R_4_L



Category: One Piece
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2020-01-06 08:43:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18384947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/R_4_L/pseuds/R_4_L
Summary: Law tries to get a handle on the Strawhats and Zoro is right there.  He might as well start with the swordsman and try to understand what makes the man tick.   He might even figure out why the guy gets lost walking down a straight hallway.  The answer isn't what he's expecting and Laws the one to learn a lesson.





	Zoro's fluctuating sense of direction

Zoro leaned against side of the submarine. His swords at his side his eyes closed. Luffy would bring Sanji back, but the he and the cook would have serious words. He got that the stupid love cook thought he was saving the crew, but hadn't he learned by now that Luffy didn't work like that. After what had happened with Nami and Robin, how could he think that he'd be any different.

"Zoro-ya, do you mind if I ask you a question?" He sat down next to the swordsman. 

Zoro's hand, the one closest to his katanas and hidden under his other arm tensed. "Mmm."

"Who taught you the way of the sword?"

The green haired swordsman cracked open his good eye and examined what he could see of their new ally. The Captain of the Love Pirates was a strong swordsman, but Zoro was stronger. Law had done nothing to show Zoro the had wanted to take the title of strongest swordsman. No his goal was different. What he wanted was something else, something he'd have to face off against Luffy for eventually. There was no harm in answering his question. 

"I trained at Isshin Dojo in the East blue." The memories rushed to shared, something that Zoro normally would have halted. This time it was like they needed to be brought to light. "Koshiro was the dojo master and a hard task master for brash orphan looking to be the best. His daughter was his best student and I was unable to best her. They had both taught me so much, not only about swordsmanship, but about life. Koshiro had showed me how to listen to what my swords told me. I was in control, but they each had a voice, and I needed to treat them with respect and listen." Zoro leaned back further to watch the clouds move across the sky, "I wanted to be the strongest swordsman, so I just kept following the strongest presence. For the longest time that was Kuina. When she died I was so angry, so lost. Koshiro wasn't able to teach me anymore. There were times he couldn't even look at me. Finally it was time for me to leave the dojo. I asked for Kuina's sword, with it I left the East Blue." He pulled out the Wado Ichimonji and examined the edge before returning it to it's sheath. 

Law used his abilities to bring out a bottle of sake, he handed it to Zoro first and watched as the man grinned and took a swallow. "So that's when you joined Luffy?" Law asked quietly, he really wanted to know what made such a strong man follow someone like Luffy. 

Zoro handed the bottle back to Law. The man was strange, but he had good booze. "No I travelled and got into pirate hunting by accident. Once it became clear that I could get paid for taking down these scum, I started following the strongest malice filled presences. I also hooked up with another pair of bounty hunters, Johnny and Yosaku. The three of us went where we wanted." 

Law was fascinated with how the Straw Hats worked as a crew. He had noticed that while Luffy was the captain and has the final word, the crew dynamics were strange to say the least. Nami might seem to be charge but that was likely because she was the navigator. If she told them to bring in the sails, they brought in the sails and then asked why. Usopp and Chopper were often as curious as children and while they weren't the first ones to fight, they would stand up for their friends. The feud between Zoro and Sanji was ongoing and almost comic relief. Sanji's main concern otherwise was always for the women. Robin would offer her knowledge and let Luffy do with it what he would. The thing was when Zoro spoke, they all listened. The man truly was Luffy's first mate. 

 

A grin spread over Zoro's face. "Meeting Luffy was something completely out of my realm of experience. I'd heard of devil fruit powers but had never met anyone who possessed them. The way this kid had faced off against axe hand Morgan had been something else. He stretched, it was amazing and terrifying all at the same time." At the beginning sailing with him, just the two of them had been wonderful and there were times he missed it. Zoro continued with his tale, "Luffy's presence alone was enough of a guide to make sure that I never got lost. His presence is so strong, it's the 'north' on my compass. When we brought Usopp on board he became someone to fight along side, on our journey to be the best. In a way his cowardice is another light the same way Nami's greed is. Although Nami was the much the same at the beginning and I had my doubts, we resolved our differences. She's a money hungry witch, but true to Luffy." 

Trafalgar paid close attention to everything Zoro did. The smile on the swordsman's face let him know that the memories were good ones. What struck Law was the choice of words the man was using. It seemed like Zoro had strong feelings for his crew mates, but he phrased it strangely.

"The shit cook often makes my life difficult with his fluctuating ambitions and goals. I can't always hear him. Robin is the biggest trouble spot. I try to protect her as much as I can but she is so used to hiding that she still does it sometimes and it is only when she is in dire need that I can find her. Franky is mostly robotic and doesn't sound the same. Neither does Brook for that matter, it's likely due to the lack of, well I don't want to say life, but maybe flesh and blood. Chopper is a constant, likely because he started out as something other than human and its those animal instincts that I zone in on. Of course it always leads back to Luffy."

What did he mean hard to spot and not feel the same? How does Franky being a partial cyborg affect how he sounds? Before he had a chance to ask, Zoro continued.

"It's gotten so loud on the ship lately. They always bug me about getting lost." 

Law tried not to laugh because he had seen how quickly the swordsman could wander off on his own. Hell he'd often gone to help find him.

His voice quieted down to a bare whisper as he took the sake bottle and finished it off, "I can't always hear them and following the strength of their presences alone is troublesome."

That had Trafalgar looking sharply at the other man. Did he have some hearing deficiency? Chopper was an excellent ships Doctor, how had he missed something like this? Or did he? He didn't have access to the Straw Hat's medical files. When he treated Luffy after Marinefold he made sure that Chopper had a copy of everything that he did. Sure they were part of an alliance now but that didn't mean that everything was shared equally both ways. He'd have to see if he could talk to Chopper, or maybe see if Zoro would let him grade a quick look.

"So when you were separated when Ace died?" 

"Damn that still pisses me off that I wasn't there. I couldn't help. Ace was a good man, a good brother. There was too much interference where I was. I couldn't find Luffy or the others, distance might have played a part there, or the others on the island I was stuck on, I can't quite be sure, but I couldn't feel or hear anything outside the five miles that was the island. That Luffy went through that without me, without any of us really bugs me. How could I have been so weak? I should have healed faster. I should have found him."

Law had realized early on in the alliance that Zoro held himself to a different standard, but something wasn't making sense here. "What do you mean healed faster? The human body can only heal so fast. Were you injured before being separated?"

"Just a little. We'd just come from Thriller Bark where we defeated Moria and had Brook join our crew. Then Kuma attacked. He wanted Luffy and the others were injured and tired from our battle with Moria. They let me sleep an extra day before we headed to Sabody Archapla. We were looking for a coating specialist so we could go to Fishman Island. All of that was interrupted by those assholes kidnapping Camie and trying to sell her. You were there for that. Then while waiting for the coating to set, we were attack by Kuma again, or I guess the Pacifistias. I wasn't at 100%, so I couldn't protect anybody, and we were separated. All of us in different directions. I guess we were sent somewhere we needed to go in order to get stronger. At the time it didn't make sense, and it was frustrating not being able to hear or feel the rest of the crew was; that Luffy was hurting and I couldn't do anything." Zoro's hand tightened into a fist, his knuckles white, before the swordsman released a breath and let everything relax.

Law was awestruck. This man had fought two warlords back to back, then jumped into a fight with the celestial dragons? Was that what he was saying? Did he ever give his body the proper time to heal? He didn't see any visible wounds, but that didn't mean much of anything. Was there a way he could convince the swordsman to let him examine him. They needed him at full strength if they were going to take on the Emperor Kadio. How was he going to ask without offending the man?

"Zoro-ya, you talk of following a strong presence, how do you sense them?" 

The question startled Zoro. No one had ever asked before. "Likely the same the way you do. I use the strength of their aura as a marker. It's generally through sound and smell. Luffy's has this aura that smells like roasted meat and sea salt. He sounds like laughter. Sanji has grown; before it was heat and fire and steel but not like the steel of a sword. Now he's stronger and the fire is more like the charcoal of his grill and the steel of his knives, and the clank of pots. Your aura is strong since the auction house but it's more controlled. If I had to describe it, antiseptic and soap would be my choice."

"Why not just go by what people look like?" What was he missing? Zoro wasn't describing people like others would.

"Appearances are unreliable." Zoro was looking at the warlord like he was insane for relying on appearances alone. "People can be impersonated, their auras cannot. Besides it's not always the strongest looking person who is the deadliest." The swordsman closed his eyes and leaned his head against the ship's rail. He took so much time, Law had thought he might have fallen asleep, "How do you handle that curse your sword holds?" 

Trafalgar started, it wasn't often that someone noticed his sword was cursed. "How did you know?"

"I can hear it." The smirk spread across his face but didn't have opening his eye, "it's quite the curse. Mine are a little jealous."

"Captain, can you come and help with this?" Penguin called from the upper deck. 

Law nodded, "I hope to talk more Zoro-ya." Inside Law dealt came across the Strawhat's cyborg. 

"Hey Law man can I take a look at your engines?" 

The way the man was rubbing his hands together made Law nervous. "I'd rather you didn't." He didn't want to get too forceful and piss the man off, but a submarine was completely different from an above water ship and the Strawhat's shipwright had no experience with a submarine. "Between him and Zoro-ya....damn it Penquin they confuse me."

"It's alright Captain. If you tell him no, he will listen." The dulcet tones of the raven haired architect came from the darkened corner.

"Nico Robin." Law had been hoping to make it to his office where he could bounce his observations off of Penguin.

"You've been spending a lot of time chatting with our swordsman." The dark haired beauty stood in the shadows reading her book.

"Is that a problem?" 

"No, it's just surprising given that Zoro is normally as talkative as you are."

Trafalgar gave a small smirk at that, "in that case, would you care to join us in my office. There were some things that Zoro-ya was talking about here that have me a little concerned. Maybe you can help advise me in the best way to approach him."

Robin snapped close the book she had been reading and followed the self taught Doctor. She may not be the swordsman's closest confidant but she was going to protect him the best she could. "Lead the way." 

The small office had two chairs and the examination bed. Penguin perched himself on the bed pulled his feet up and out of the way, while the Captain took his regular chair, leaving the smaller stool for Robin.

"So what is the issue regarding Zoro?"

Resting his elbows on the arms of the chair, he interlaced his fingers and tapped them against his lips. He wasn't sure just what to say. A number of things that Zoro brought up were concerning but not life threatening. On the one hand Robin wasn't his doctor so she wouldn't have access to his medical file. On the other hand anything they brought up was going to be mostly gossip and he hated that. He hated that vehemently. In the end he decided to ask, "have you noticed the way Zoro-ya talks about keeping track of all of you?"

"Hmmm, I can't say that I have." Robin was intrigued.

"Does he appear to have hearing issues?" 

His change in topics had her tensing, what was he trying to get at? "Zoro? I don't believe so. I mean does like to sleep during the day and often doesn't hear battles or trouble when it's on the ship. However, in his defense, he does take the night watch almost every night. Have you noticed something?"

"Only in the things that he has said that have me scratching my head."

"Do you want to explain Captain?" Penguin spoke up, he was used to the way his Captain thought and was often used as Law's sounding board.

"It's in the words he uses. They maybe phrases native to his homeland but somehow it doesn't feel right. He talks about finding each of you by what you sound like and your auras not what you look like. It's odd."

"That is strange." Penguin rubbed his face as he listened to his captain.

Robin just sat there. She thought about the phrasing Zoro often used. She didn't think there was any regional phrases in there. "If I remember correctly Zoro, Luffy, and Nami are all originally from the East Blue. I don't remember any of them using any regional based phrases."

Law's knee started bouncing a sure sign that he wanted to do something but was unsure how to go about it. Penguin hadn't seen him that unsure since he was first approached to become a Warlord and he debated about accepting it. "Captain, obviously something else is bothering you about Zoro. Don't sit here and theorize, ask him directly."

Law looked at his first mate and smiled, the guy really did know him well.

"The worst that can happen is Zoro getting angry and wanting to fight you." Robin's voice was a juxpostion between the calm tones and threatening words.

It took Law two days to work through the jobs that cropped up being Captain of a submarine. Finding space for the Strawhats and the group from Wano on his ship had been a bit of a shuffle. He wanted to travel underwater as much as possible, as it was the quickest way.

"Zoro-ya, can you come with me." Law lead the swordsman to his medical office. Zoro followed without a question. He had the man sit down before facing him. "I'd like to ask you about your medical history."

Zoro tilted his head to the side, "why. I'm perfectly healthy."

"I'm concerned about your hearing."

"Whatever, there's nothing wrong with me."

"Will you let me check anyway?" Trafalgar was fully prepared to back off if Zoro showed any resistance.

Zoro crossed his arms over his chest. "What makes you think there's something wrong with my hearing?"

It was a valid question and Law wasn't going to shy around answering it, not if he was going to try and pry into this man's medical history with only a gut feeling to go on. "It was our conversation. The words you used, how you talked about being able to hear and smell the others, and how loud you find it on the ship."

Zoro looked at the man his Captain had formed an alliance with. The guy was honestly confused. "Let me ask you this. When you're in a fight, how do you choose your opponent?"

"Whoever's in front of me?" Law was confused.

"I choose the strongest opponent and I pick them by the strength of their aura. Their aura tells me not only how strong they are physically but the strength of their will. That's who I choose. "

Trafalgar thought about it, if Zoro fought and took out the strongest opponents then that left the weaker opponents for the weaker crew members. 

Zoro watched the doctor trying to get a grip on the idea. "Pass me your sword for a minute." Law looked startled, no one took his sword. "I won't draw it, what I want you to do is sit there and close your eyes. I'm going pull one of the four swords here from their sheaths. Not entirely, but just by about ten centimeters. That should be enough for you to get a feel for them. I'll leave them out for ten seconds then return them to their sheaths. I want you to tell me which sword I pulled."

Law handed over his sword, watching the way Zoro handled it with care, before closing his eyes. His ears strained to hear the rasp of steel. The change in the air was almost palatable he could feel Kikoku and another one, a stronger older sword. Law tilted his head, his eyes still closed. "You pulled Kikoku and one of yours -the oldest sword you have." He opened his eyes and looked at the blades at Zoro's hip. 

"Why do you think it's the oldest?"

"It's seen a lot of blood and it felt old. Older then Kikoku."

"Shusui is one of the 21 great swords and has a great thirst for battle. It was held by a great samurai warrior before me." He laid his hand on the sword with the floral guard before switching to the white wrapped blade, "the Wado Ichimonji is about the same age but had been kept in a dojo for many years."

"No, it's was Shusui that you pulled."

Zoro smirked, "and that's how I choose my opponents and find my crew." He got up and left the doctor to piece together what had just happened. He had brought Zoro in here to do a medical exam and somehow he ended up being the one schooled and yet. And yet it didn't feel like he'd lost face with Zoro. He'd have to take some time to really think about what he had learned from the swordsman. It was almost like when he had learned to use Haki for the first time, but slightly different, because this was relying on a persons life force and it was slightly different. Turning just before the door Zoro commented, "If we hit an island where we can go up against some of the wildlife and practice this." Zoro watched the way Trafalgar seemed to be absorbing the concepts. "Besides it would be a great chance for me to train and improve my skills. It's not everyday I can go up against another swordsman who can also use armament and observation Haki."

The glee in Zoro voice sent a shiver down Law's spine, although thinking about it that maybe the secret behind the Strawhat's success. Their absolute glee in finding a strong opponent to fight, because it meant that they could challenge their skills and get even better. Wasn't that why he had sought Luffy out to ally with him? His carefree demeanor and utter disregard for convention. What was it that Sanji and Nami often said? Luffy may be and idiot but he's their idiot? He was sure it was something like that. This talk he had with Zoro had just confirmed that the rest of the crew was very similar, they all sought out continual improvement, never stopped training. It even put the bickering between Zoro and Sanji in new light. Never let it be said that the Strawhats weren't an interesting group.


End file.
